SURGERY IN THE OLDEN TIMES IN SCOTLAND. 265 
“To all and sundrie, to quhais (whose) knawledge tliir present 
letteris shall come, the Provost, Bailies, and Counsell of the 
burgh of Edinburgh, greeting, in God everlasting, witt your 
Universities, that the day of the daite of thir presents compearit 
before us, sitting in judgment in the Tolbooth of the said burgh, 
the Kirkmaster and brethir of the Surregians and Barbours 
within the samen, and presented to us their bill and supplicatione, 
desiring us for the love of God, honour of our Sovereign Lord, 
and all his leidges and for worship and policy of the burgh, and 
for the good rule and policy and order to be made amangest 
the said crafts in tyme to come, that wee would grant and 
consent to them the preveledges, rules, and statutes containd in 
their said bill and supplicatione quhilk (which) after follows. 
“ To you, my Lords, Provost, Baillies, and worthie Counsell 
this Guide Toun (good town), right humbly means and shaws 
your dailie servitores the Kirkmaster and Bretherin of Surre¬ 
gians and Barbours within the burgh. That wheras we believe 
it is well knawn till all your wisdomes, how that we uphald ane 
alter situated within your college kirk of St. Geil (St. Giles) 
in the honour of God, and St. Mungo, our patron, and had na 
importance till uphald the samen (same), but our sober ouklie 
pennie (weekly penny) and upsets quhilk are small in effeck to 
sustain and uphald our said alter in all necessair things conve- 
neant therto. And because we are, and ever were, of good 
mind till doe this guide Toun all the steade, pleasour, and service 
we can or may, baith in walking, wairding, stenting, and bear¬ 
ing all other portable charges within this burgh at all tymes as 
other neighbours and crafts doe within the samen, we desire of 
your lordships and wisdomes till geiflf and grant till us and our 
successours thir rules, statutes, and priveledges under written, 
quhilk (which) are consonant to reason, honour to our sovereign 
Lord and all his leidges, profitable and lovable to this Guide 
Toun: In the first place, that we might have yearly chosen 
amangst us ane Kirkmaster and other Masters to quham the 
haill bretherin of the crafts foresaid shal obey for that year. 
Item, That nae manner of persones occupy nor use any poyntes 
(points) of our said crafts of Chirurgerie or Barbourcraft, within 
this burgh, but gif he bee first freeman and burges of the samen, 
and that he be worthie and expert in all the poyntes belangand 
to the said crafts, diligently and thouroughlie examind and ad¬ 
mitted be the master of the said craft for the honourable serving 
of our Sovereign Lords, leidges, and neighbours of this burgh. 
And also that every man that is to be made freeman and master 
amang us be examined and proved in the poyntes following; 
that is to say, that he knaw anatomia, nature and complexions 
of every member of humans body; and likewayes that he knaw 
